BJP urges Election Commission to withdraw order against Narendra Modi

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has requested the Election Commission to review and withdraw its order against their party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi saying that his interaction with the media after casting vote in Ahmedabad was not pre-planned.

The Gujarat police on Wednesday had filed two FIRs against Modi for delivering a speech from a poll booth and displaying the BJP poll symbol 'Lotus' after he cast his vote. Earlier, the poll body had found Modi to be in violation of the provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951.

The EC also stated that it was evident from Modi's address that he intended to influence and affect the result of elections in the constituencies going to polls today, not only in Ahmedabad but also in all other constituencies in the State of Gujarat and elsewhere in the country. The poll body had reportedly asked the Director-General-of-Police (DGP) of Gujarat and state chief secretary to initiate action against Modi for displaying the Lotus.

The EC has acted after the Congress lodged a complaint with it. The poll body had also sought a report from the district Collector of Ahmedabad on Narendra Modi's press conference earlier today.